“Interim authorities in Venezuela will deliver between 30 and 50 MILLION barrels of high-quality, sanctioned oil to the United States,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“This oil will be sold at its market price, and that money will be controlled by meas president of the United States (…), to guarantee that it is used for the benefit of the people of Venezuela and the United States.”
President in charge of Venezuela appoints economic czar
The interim president of Venezuela named the head of her economic team on Tuesday, a position she held until the fall of Nicolás Maduro and which is a priority of her administration.
It is the first announcement of change that Delcy Rodríguez made as head of the government. Calixto Ortega Sánchez was appointed vice president of the economic area.
Rodríguez was the vice president of the country and first in the line of succession, but she was also Minister of Hydrocarbons and economic czar.
His replacement was president of the Central Bank of Venezuela between 2018 and 2025, and before that he worked in the oil industry.
“By the end of 2026, we hope to consolidate the 2025 figures and we have grown even more,” Rodríguez said on state TV, where he cited ECLAC’s 6.5% growth estimate for 2025.
The Venezuelan economic scenario is complex, with a devaluation of the local currency of almost 500% that fuels fears of hyperinflation. However, experts improved their prospects for 2026 with Rodríguez at the head of the government.
Rodríguez took the reins of economic policy in the years of the deepest crisis, when he relaxed controls and decriminalized the use of the dollar.
The interim president assumes the government under the scrutiny of Donald Trump, who ordered the bombing of Caracas that led to the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, accused of drug trafficking in the United States.
The Republican has expressed special interest in Venezuela’s oil reserves, while Rodríguez advocated for a balanced and respectful relationship.
Experts estimate that the new administration may lead to a relaxation of the embargo in force since 2019.
With information from AFP
